Three Kings, Three Gifts: Balthasar

Frankincense was the gift presented by the magi Balthasar. It was the main ingredient for incense used in the biblical Temple, made from a dried resin drawn from the craggy trees of the Arabian Peninsula (the land of Mt. Sinai). It is the smell of worship, an appropriate gift for the adoring threesome at the home of the Holy Family (Mt. 2:1-2, 8, 11). It is used in the book of Revelation to represent our prayers ascending to God (Rev. 5:8; 8:4).

All of our prayerful worship (adoration and blessing, petition, intercession, thanks, and praise) reaches its highest expression in the liturgical event of the Eucharist. What a wonderful spiritual resolution to grow in our appreciation of and participation in the Mass in 2014.

If your schedule permits, consider attending daily Mass in addition to your Sunday celebration (even if its only one or two days). If that’s not possible, consider preparing for the Sunday liturgy by practicing Lectio Divina with the Scripture readings in advance, or offering your time to carry the Eucharist to the home bound or a parishioner in a local nursing home or similar institution. A wonderful document that is worth a careful and prayerful read is Ecclesia in Eucharistia.